Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responds to house fire Friday

Residence had insufficient smoke detectors, emergency responders say

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews were on the scene in response to a house fire in the 9600 block of North Dakota Street in Tigard on Friday.

The first crews arrived at approximately 12:24 p.m. to find smoke billowing from attic vents and from under the house's second-story eaves. Once TVFR emergency responders were sure that the home was completely evacuated, they attempted to locate the fire but were slowed by thick black smoke and what TVFR described as "significant debris throughout the home." The origin of the fire was found to be on the first floor of the residence and was quickly extinguished.

The fire had not been immediately reported because it was believed that one of the house's residents had completely extinguished it.

Paramedics treated one resident on-site for smoke inhalation, then transferred the resident to a hospital for further evaluation.

TVFR reports that the house lacked working smoke alarms at the time of the fire, which according to TVFR public information manager Karen Eubanks "could have involved loss of life or additional injury had this fire occurred in the middle of the night while the occupants were sleeping."

TVFR reminds the public that fire doubles in size every 30 seconds, making immediate detection essential. Both fire and heavy smoke can quickly make escape routes inaccessible.